Faded
by CindyBarnard
Summary: Songfic Oneshot - sort of. Based on the song by Alan Walker, Faded. Third instalment in my songfic series, sequel to Stay With Me and Wildest Dreams. Fifteen years later, how is it going with our two families? How will an unexpected run in play off? And had our characters realised their mistakes yet?


_Hi!_

 _And here is the third instalment of my songfic series._

 _Based this time on Alan Walkers; Faded_

 _Sequel to this: Out of the Woods_

 _And of course a Dramione!_

 _Remember before everyone hates me, I'm trying to go for real as possible actions and reactions._

 _Flaws remember?_

 _Trigger Warning: Adultry hints_

 _Should have the next instalment ready by tomorrow…_

 ** _Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters do not belong to me. The song and its content / Lyrics does not belong to me._**

 ** _all rights belong to their respective owners._**

 _Faded_

It was a pleasantly warm morning, and the Weasley household was its usual bustling activity, the sun shining in through the kitchen window where the main hub of activity was.

Hermione was busy stirring tea, and Ron was sitting at the table reading the sports section of the Daily Prophet, and a curly red-headed, blue-eyed boy was sitting opposite his father, shovelling his toast in a way reminiscent of a younger Ronald Weasley.

"Hugo... Please chew with your mouth closed."

Hermione reprimanded the overly excited eleven-year-old with a stern expression, yet a small smile was tugging at the corner of her mouth at his obvious excitement.

Just then the tall lean figure of Rose strolled in, her long pin straight hair that was now more a lighter blonde than dirty blonde, swinging heavily to the rhythm of her walk. Hermione smiled at her fifteen-year-old daughter, who walked with a straight posture, her very gait one of confidence, and dare she say it, supremacy.

She had inherited the Malfoy aristocratic posture and pride.

The usual shadow fell over her features and hiding it she quickly placed everyone's tea on the table before sitting down herself to eat some toast before they leave for Kings Cross station.

"Mother... Father, I've been thinking. Since I'm a prefect this year..."

Hermione smiled proudly then, but nodded to indicate that Rose must continue, Ron had also by then put down his paper to give her his full attention, Rose only lifted her head a bit regally and continued.

"I want to really try for Head Girl. And of course, I can earn so much more extra merits if I'm a prefect."

Hermione chuckled, and Ron huffed in amusement, they weren't surprised, of course, she always went for the biggest and best, a lot of ambition she has.

Which was of course why she is in Slytherin house, the first ever 'Weasley' sorted there. The family, of course, knew that her biological father wasn't Ron, but they never dared voice their suspicions over exactly who was out loud, and Ron had always respected her decisions by never divulging her secret.

After she had been sorted into Slytherin, and she had started to ask questions about it, also questions about her appearance being so 'un-Weasley', Rose was a very highly intelligent girl, of course. Hermione and Ron had sat her down and admitted the truth that Ron was not her biological father, but she had refrained from divulging his true identity, promised her instead that she would tell her when she was eighteen.

Rose had gone through the cycle of grief and denial, but she pushed through it remarkably quickly, and then promptly declared later on that no matter what, to her Ron was her father.

And that had been the end of it for her.

Only for Hermione, it hadn't been that easy, she had never gotten over her heartache as she had just learned to bury it.

But as the time had gone on, she realised that she was still very much unhappy, but she daren't think on exactly why beyond the obvious, her conscience wouldn't allow her.

But not even her conscience could stop her from feeling, well, faded.

As if she was a faded photograph of herself.

DMHG

"Make sure we don't get too close to _them_. Especially Rose..."

Hermione whispered frantically in Ron's ear, her whole body tense, and her eyes darting around the busy platform tirelessly.

Ron sighed, he loved his wife dearly, and he had never backed off from the promise he made her, but he had to admit, he was tired.

When he was young he had honestly believed he could be happy always just having her, even if she loved another, and yet, after fifteen years, he was ready to admit that his younger self might have been a tad foolish.

But looking down into her anxious face, he realised that he couldn't abandon her, she still needed him. Her hand was clutching his arm frantically, the material of his sleeve crumpled tightly in her fist, no, he'd remain as long as she needed him.

"Mione... Malfoy used to prefer the front train car always, so we'll stay here at the back. Don't worry, I'll look out."

He leant in and planted a kiss on her forehead; she smiled stiffly and seemed to relax just the slightest.

It would be his son, Scorpius Malfoy's, first year at Hogwarts as well this year, he and Hugo being the same ages, so this will be the first time in fifteen years that she would be in close proximity to him, having avoided social wizarding life mostly.

And then it happened, the tickle behind her neck started light at first, and then it was almost like pins, realising someone was looking at her, she looked up.

And barely twelve feet away, with only a few children among them, stood he, his eyes still the same liquid grey that she remembered.

Their eyes locked grey and brown, dark and light.

 _"You were the shadow to my light – [lyrics]_

She turned away, not giving him any form of recognition beyond the meeting of their eyes for a few loaded seconds, turning her back to hug Hugo tightly to her.

Because of that she missed the happenings behind her, and only jerked around when she heard Ron's shocked exclamation.

"Bloody Merlin! Rose!"

And before she could react even Ron had rushed away, leaving her to numbly follow as her eyes took in the scene behind her.

She approached them, for, by some obscure reason, it would seem that Rose had literally bumped into the one and only Draco Malfoy and the trolley he had been pushing.

The latter of who was looking dumbstruck at her, while she was apologising profusely while picking up the trolley items of young Scorpius that had tumbled off.

Even Astoria was standing there looking pale and shocked, for Hermione knew; her daughter looked almost exactly like her father, except for her hair colour.

And seeing the two of them so close, she realised exactly how much they were alike, from features to mannerisms, a lump formed in her throat.

Ron had reached them, and he was trying to obscure Rose by inserting himself between Draco and Rose, helping her with the cage of the owl, balancing it on top of the trolley full of now retrieved items.

"Sir, I'm truly sorry, I'm not normally clumsy so I feel mortified that I was today."

She had stood up to formally apologise, but was confused at Ron's blundering attempts to hide her without seeming to hide her.

Draco was still looking as if he was hit by a wayward bludger, looking dumbstruck at the replica of himself in front of him.

"Malfoy. Come Rose-"

Ron was cut off then, for her name seemed to pull him out of his shock, his eyes focused and then looked at the now fully visible Rose, seeing her liquid grey eyes shining in the morning sun.

"Rose Weasley... Your daughter?"

The last was almost spat at Ron; the latter which hardened his features and squared his shoulders, Hermione had reached them as well then and was frantically tugging at Rose, trying to slip her away.

But then Draco's eyes landed on her, and she knew that he had realised the truth.

For Hermione Granger-Weasley had learned another thing in the last years of her life, and that was the simple universal fact, that secrets always came out.

And her biggest one had just been revealed.

But Rose hadn't liked his tone when he stated his question, and so she immediately straightened into her lean length and lifted her chin in that haughty way that all Malfoy's seemed to do and then faced Draco fully.

"Yes. I'm their daughter."

Unfortunately, it also meant she looked him full into his eyes then, the exact same eyes as hers.

And Hermione felt her carefully constructed illusion tumbling down at that moment, for the same look of realisation, and then numb shock washed over her daughter's face.

Rose stumbled backwards slightly, and then without a word, and pale as when she was sick, she walked away and went to assist her little brother.

Ron just gave a glare to Malfoy, old habits die hard of course, and then he swiftly left to support Rose, he knew she would need him now.

Hermione and Draco looked at each other, but before she could step back as well to hurry away, he turned on his heel and walked from the platform without a word to his wife.

Said wife who still stood pale and shocked, little Scorpius luckily wasn't there to witness anything, probably off with friends somewhere else on the platform.

 _"Where are you now?—[lyrics]_

Secrets... Everyone has them, even the most unlikely of individuals; yes even the seemingly perfect ones.

Hermione was scrubbing the dishes, the muggle way, it was something she had started doing shortly after she and Ron had gotten married, and she first started to realise she had that feeling of emptiness in her, it was diverting.

It had been a week since that fateful day at the station.

Rose had not spoken a word to them about it, about what she now knew, instead, she had pretended that nothing happened, that nothing had changed.

Her letters from school were filled with the usual, but Hermione knew and understood her daughter.

She knew that Rose was in shock, she also knew that she was busy weighing everything before she would act.

As for Draco, he had seemingly disappeared.

He had walked out of that station and disappeared, Astoria had even gone to the papers to publish articles about it.

And as for Hermione, well she had realised that the safe life she had been given by Ron was ripped bare, the illusion now open, glaringly exposed for what it was, just another lie, illusion, secret.

And that the confrontation was coming.

She had been cleaning the house from top to bottom, scrubbing till her fingers were bare in an attempt to keep the unhappy emptiness at bay.

 _"Where are you now? – [lyrics]_

It was as she was walking in Diagon Alley the next day to get a few necessities to send to the children that the confrontation was forced.

She almost never came to Diagon Alley, preferring to shop in Hogsmeade where it was usually quieter with fewer known faces, but today she was in need of things not found at Hogsmeade.

"Granger."

How could she not know that voice?

Her starved body soaked in his presence, letting his voice caress her ears, her soul as only he could; he was standing barely two feet in front of her.

The not so busy street lost in the haze of her befuddled mind, for all she saw, was him.

He looked tired, worn.

"Malfoy."

Their eyes met, and she knew instantly what was wrong with her life.

They weren't together.

She had made a decision while in depression and scared, while young and inexperienced with life and love.

She had thought it would be enough to be taken care of, to be loved by someone that she couldn't love like that in return.

The truth was, it was bound to fail, for you should never marry someone if you didn't love them in the right way, even if they are the 'right' person.

She knew that now.

So she did what she had done all those years ago, without saying a word she turned and walked away to the Leaky Cauldron, stopping briefly to make sure he was following.

He was.

 _"These shallow waters never met what I needed – [lyrics]_

They requested a private room, by mutual silent agreement, they knew that what was to be said was for them alone. Even though this time they did not fear the gossip, the consequences of everyone knowing they had a private meeting in the Leaky Cauldron.

All the secrets were bound to come out now anyway.

In the room they stood facing each other, still not having spoken a word directly since the greeting down in the street, if a greeting you could call it.

Finally, it seemed as if Draco gave in, his entire body sagging as if he was defeated emotionally as well as physically, the eyes meeting hers desperate.

"She's mine. Why?"

It was simple as always, why did she hide it, why did she not come to him, why did she lie.

"You left me. You chose them."

Her answer was equally as simple, he had made his choice, he had abandoned her, he had abandoned them, what they had, what they had shared.

Both of them had made mistakes, big mistakes.

Both flawed, both wrong.

"I-"

He stopped himself and instead swallowed hard, knowing what she knew as well, they could not blame each other.

 _"Where are you now? – [lyrics]_

"She knows Ron isn't her biological father. Although, he is her father in every other sense. She also realised who her father was when you realised who she was. What happens now between you is up to you."

Draco sat down warily on the chair behind him, running his hand tiredly through his already mussed hair, his eyes looking completely broken.

She knew she looked the same and sat down herself in the opposite chair, both just looking at each other, cataloguing what the last sixteen years had done to the other.

She saw a handsome man, well-aged, but with the hint of a receding hairline, but a man tired and faded, as if he had long since lost his lustre, he looked like she felt.

"I made so many mistakes Hermione... But you, abandoning you have been my biggest one. And one I've never stopped regretting."

Their eyes met and held, all pretence dropped, all secrets exposed.

"I should never have hidden her existence from you. You and Rose deserved to have had a chance to know each other..."

She felt that same feeling of emptiness still within her, but at the realisation that she was married, they couldn't start over, that they couldn't be still.

Suddenly she stood up, fighting back the sting of unwanted tears, he followed her to his feet, and she glared at him now, feeling frustration at their situation building up inside of her.

Before realising what was happening she had closed the space between them to start hammering his chest.

"I would have been brave enough for both of us Malfoy! All you had to do was be strong enough to go public! I would have then been able to protect us from them! All you had to do was step over that barrier!"

By now the tears of frustration was streaming unchecked, her fist pounding him in fury and helplessness, at first, he stood frozen, letting her hit him, but then he grabbed her wrist firmly to stop her.

She collapsed against his chest and he held her close, murmuring sorry' over and over again in her ear.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I'm a coward... I've always been one... But not anymore... I promise I'll do whatever I must to make it right...no matter the consequence ...I love you... Always only you... I'm sorry..."

And then the unthinkable happened, she lifted her head to look up at him, and seeing the naked emotion in his face, before she could stop herself their lips met in a desperate and passionate kiss.

It was as if time stood frozen, all the old fire still there, even more, consuming than ever before.

Everything dropping away, there had been no almost sixteen-year separation, no broken hearts, no betrayals, no secret. What they felt had never stopped, never diminished, it was still there, still raw and still unbridled.

And for the first time in almost sixteen years, she didn't feel like a faded photograph of herself, she felt alive.

But then reality crashed in.

She was married, he was married.

This was wrong.

And so with every ounce of her willpower she broke free, lifting her hand to her mouth in silent shock, then without a word she spun around and ran from the room, ran from him.

History it seemed would repeat itself always in one way or another.

 _"Where are you now?_ – [lyrics]

 _The End_


End file.
